Page 17 of Wretched Choices

I wait in my car for a while until I make sure my surroundings are safe; I have one of my men waiting outside Hall Media to inform me when she leaves, and from what I gathered about her, she works long hours and that should benefit me.

I take the device Marco has given me and approach opposite the camera on the front door and turn the device on, showing me the view from the camera on my phone. Punching a few buttons, I wait until the device shows me a black screen. I move toward the door. Using my kit, I open the door in a few seconds. I can walk inside the building with ease since I turned all cameras in the building off by uploading the virus. I take the elevator up to the sixteenth floor. I shouldn’t be surprised by what I see when I arrive at her door, but I am.

The door is solid wood with metal plates and a smart lock that needs to be entered with a fingerprint. There’s a camera in the peephole and on the side of the door.

“What are you hiding, bella?” I murmur to myself, surprised by the endearment term that came out of my mouth. I’m sure that behind this door there is an alarm system too. I place the small device Marco gave me on the lock and message Marco to deal with it, then I wait. After a minute, the door opens.

I take a quick tour of her minimalistic two-bedroom apartment. That makes me even more alert. I search every corner, looking for something personal that will answer the questions I have about her. The living room has a few bookshelves and some personal pictures of her and a young woman her age, and one with a nun. Nothing else personal, even between the books. Not that there are many books, but I looked through all of them. After inspecting the kitchen, I also found nothing, not even food, other than a few bottles of wine and some takeout leftovers.

I move to the bedroom, and her sweet scent fills my nostrils. The scent of citrus and flowers reminds me of summers in Italy. It is also the smell that calmed me as a child. I don’t know why, but it did. It was a scent my mother used to smell to calm her down when she was pregnant. I shake my head and keep searching for something that will give me any kind of information about her.

Nothing.

I approach her nightstand, seeing something shining on the top of a book. A round, gold pedant, a miraculous medal framed with diamonds. I turn the medal. The back is engraved with: Be brave, be strong, be fearless.

I don’t think much about it as I put it back where it was.

After my not-so-successful search, I sit on the couch in the living room, waiting for my prey to come home.

seven

Isabella

I open the door of my apartment and before the door closes, I kick off my heels, place my purse and files on the table beside the door, and switch on the side lamp. Just enough light to allow me to see around me.

I pull the edges of my blouse from my skirt and unbutton it. I need to get out of what I wore for the last fourteen hours. After that, I need to take a shower, but first I need a drink and food if there is some in the fridge.

I open the fridge, take the wine, and drink directly from the bottle, letting the cold liquid slide down my throat. Next, foodthat I don’t have. A couple of containers of old takeout stare at me, begging me to throw them out.

Why do I have no food in my fridge?

Because I’m never home, and besides, cooking reminds me of things I avoid remembering.

I know how to cook. Well, not everything, but enough. Sitting in the kitchen and watching my mama cooking had an influence on me. I close the fridge, knowing I’ll need to order some food.

I take a few more sips before turning around and placing the bottle on the counter, smiling from the inside at the little things I do just to remind myself I do not need to please anyone. Just as I go to walk out and into the bathroom, a figure leaning on the wall in the corner of the living room catches my attention.

Tall, broad-chested, with his arms and legs crossed. How did he get through my security system? I would recognize this man anywhere.

Even weeks after, I can still feel his presence and his hands touching my skin. I haven’t been able to let go of that feeling ever since.

After the fear of getting caught vanished, I realized I never felt like that before. Never had a man affected me that way. His hands manhandling me had got me high, wanting more. But that was so wrong, so I did what I do best to suppress my feelings and needs or, better yet, question them and my decisions. I buried myself in work.

If only the work didn’t include him. If only he wasn’t the story I’m working on.

Searching for weapons to defend myself makes little sense. If he wanted to hurt me, he already would have.

“Mr. Catalano, what a pleasure. Is this your night job, lurking in the dark?” I take a step forward, stopping in front of the counter that separates the kitchen from the living room.

He pushes himself from the wall, placing his hands in the pockets of his slacks as he takes slow, steady, and calculated steps in my direction. The action makes my stomach flip. I grip the edge of the counter and lean forward, wetting my lips with my tongue as I watch him coming closer to me.

His low voice sends tremors down my spine, reminding me once again of the feeling of his hands. “Sometimes.” A dark chuckle comes out of his mouth. “See, I don’t like being disregarded. And you did exactly that.” With the last step, he stops in front of me on the opposite side of the counter. Hardened face, black eyes, and in all his immaculate glory.

He could take just a few more steps and be in front of me. He could put his hands on me like the last time. My body shivers just thinking about it. I bite my lower lip and shake my head.

Unfortunately, my hitched voice gives me away. “Is that so?” I clear my throat and swallow. “If that’s what you think, you are in the wrong place. I don’t see anyone here that should abide by your demands.”

He drags his intense gaze from my face down my body. The intensity of his blue eyes makes me want to take a step back, but I refuse to. I want to explore the feeling. I want to break down his facade and bring out his true colors.

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